Artillery shell carrier

Abstract

A device for carrying artillery shells, each shell having a cylindrical body and a conical head, is disclosed. The device includes an upper body and a lower body. A gripper assembly is connected to the lower body and has an inner circumferential surface corresponding to the cylindrical body. A driving unit pivots the gripper assembly about an axis. A shell-head stopping unit is connected to the lower body at a position which may be adjusted along the length of the lower body. The shell-head stopping unit receives the conical head of a shell to hold the shell in a set position. Also included is a shell-rear stopping unit connected to the gripper assembly and elastically biased upward with respect to the inner circumferential surface of the gripper assembly. The shell-rear stopping unit holds the rear end of the shell in the gripper assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A device for carrying artillery shells, each shell having a cylindrical body and a conical head, comprising: an upper body and a lower body;   a gripper assembly connected to the lower body and having an inner circumferential surface corresponding to the cylindrical body;   a driving unit for pivoting the gripper assembly about an axis;   a shell-head stopping unit connected to the lower body at a position which may be adjusted along the length of the lower body, wherein the shell-head stopping unit receives the conical head of a shell to hold the shell in a set position; and   a shell-rear stopping unit connected to the gripper assembly and elastically biased upward with respect to the inner circumferential surface of the gripper assembly, wherein the shell-rear stopping unit holds the rear end of the shell in the gripper assembly.   
     
     
       2. The device of claim 1, wherein said gripper assembly further comprises: an upper gripper;   a lower gripper which is pivotally coupled to the upper gripper;   an elastic member for providing an elastic force to the upper gripper to grip a shell inserted between the upper gripper and the lower gripper; and   a rotary arm integrally formed with the lower gripper to form a radius from the axis about which the driving unit pivots the gripper assembly.   
     
     
       3. The device of claim 2, wherein the driving unit comprises a driving shaft, the device further comprising: a driving arm having a first end connected to the driving shaft, wherein the driving arm pivots the gripper assembly by a driving force of the driving unit; and   a connecting rod having a first end connected to the second end of the driving arm and having a second end connected to the lower gripper.   
     
     
       4. The device of claim 3, further comprising: a rotation stopper coupled to the driving shaft; and   a buffer connected to the lower body for absorbing an impact which occurs when the driving unit stops driving.   
     
     
       5. The device of claim 2, further comprising: an upper gripper stopper connected to the upper gripper;   a mobile block connected to the lower body and having a cam surface contacting the upper gripper stopper;   an elastic member having an elastic force used to elastically bias the mobile block; and   a rod for moving the mobile block against the elastic force of the elastic member such that the cam surface of the mobile block is not in contact with the upper gripper stopper.   
     
     
       6. The device of claim 2, wherein the shell-rear stopping unit is connected to the lower gripper. 
     
     
       7. The device of claim 1, wherein the shell-head stopping means comprises: a shell-head stopper;   means for rolling the shell-head stopper along the length of the lower body;   an interval controller for holding the shell-head stopper at a position along the length of the lower body to which the stopper was moved by the rolling means.   
     
     
       8. The device of claim 1, further comprising: a pivot shaft forming the axis about which the gripper assembly is pivoted;   a cam coupled to the pivot shaft; and   a limit switch for controlling the driving unit by detecting the rotation of the cam on the pivot shaft.   
     
     
       9. The device of claim 1, further comprising means for moving the upper and lower bodies to a loading position.